Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा—व्यासोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Collapse and Vyāsa’s Counsel

Devanagari script

उपगम्य तदा धात्री देवानाह समागतान्‌

Transliteration

upagamya tadā dhātrī devān āha samāgatān

Translation

Então a Protetora (Dhātrī), aproximando-se dos deuses reunidos, dirigiu-se a eles.

Word by Word

• उपगम्य: having approached
• उपगम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-अर्थे), कर्तरि, अव्यय (absolutive), no person/number

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: true

• धात्री: the nurse / attendant (Dhātrī)
• धात्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आह: said / spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), Third, Singular, परस्मैपदम्

• समागतान्: assembled / gathered (having come together)
• समागतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhātrī
• Devas (the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When social and moral order is shaken, the epic frames restoration of dharma as requiring deliberate counsel and responsibility at the highest level—here symbolized by a divine assembly being formally addressed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vyāsa’s narration, Dhātrī approaches the gods who have gathered and begins to speak to them, introducing a scene of divine deliberation connected to the grievous consequences of the Kurukṣetra war.